A Special Announcement:

It is with great sadness that the Academy reports the death of Dr. Gregory E. Smith. Greg passed away on May 1st, 2023 in Gainesville, FL. He served the Academy for many years as the first Assistant Secretary and as Secretary for 18 years. His love for our organization and its members was evidenced by his devotion to duty and by the countless ways that he mentored those with whom he served. We shall be forever grateful for his friendship and we wish him Godspeed.
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Dr. Rich Stevenson and Dr. Tina Lopez with Dr. Greg Smith (on right) in Chicago two years ago

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About AOD

The Academy of Operative Dentistry was founded in 1972 by members of the Academy of Gold Foil Operators. They saw the need for an organization devoted to the operative dentist. The purpose of the Academy of Operative Dentistry was to promote excellence in operative dentistry by influencing the practice of the health professions in organized dentistry, health science education, and research. (read more)

President's Message

juliana_jpgDear members and guests of the Academy,

 It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to our 52nd Annual Conference! Being a member of this Academy has allowed me to connect and learn from like-minded colleagues from all over the world who share a passion for Operative Dentistry. Together, we exchange ideas, learn from one another's experiences, and push the boundaries of what is possible. I first attended the Academy of Operative Dentistry conference in 2002 when I was pursuing my MS degree and residency in Operative Dentistry at University of Iowa. The connections I have formed within this community have been invaluable. The Academy has fostered a supportive network that has provided a sense of belonging, collaboration, and mentorship; encouraging growth and success. Each year I look forward to attending the annual conference, growing in my profession, and connecting with my friends and colleagues. This is my 21st year as a member of this prestigious Academy and I’m truly honored to serve as your president.

The Academy of Operative Dentistry is devoted to promoting excellence in clinical practice, education, and research. It has served as a platform for dental professionals to exchange knowledge, state-of-the-art techniques, and advancements in the field with the ultimate goal of advancing the quality of patient care. The Academy continues to provide support to its members who are constituted of clinicians, educators, researchers, and students from all continents in the world, to collaborate and stay abreast on the latest developments in Operative Dentistry. We have enhanced the diversity of presenters and topics in the last few years, including the Cariology Lecture and Summit Lecture of Innovation. The 2023 Annual Conference was a success! The attendance was the highest in the last five years and we received positive feedback about the content of scientific session and eminence of speakers. The 52nd Annual Conference has a lineup of renowned speakers and stimulating topics. Additionally, clinicians, researchers, and students will present innovative table clinics. The table clinics provide a platform for dissemination of knowledge, enriching discussions, and future collaborations.  I am optimistic that we will have even greater attendance in 2024 than we did in 2023!

In addition to providing an excellent continuing education program every year our organization is renowned for the accessibility of its educational programs. Our members have access to videos of the annual scientific presentations, table clinics, scholarly publications, journals, and research databases, which facilitate the dissemination of new knowledge and evidence-based practices. The videos of the scientific presentations and table clinics are available on the AOD website for registered members for an extended period following the annual conference. The Journal of Operative Dentistry is a reputable peer-reviewed journal that is available in print and digital format to the members of the Academy.

The Academy is fully invested in promoting and supporting research in the field, excellence to the profession, and for recognizing outstanding contributions through awards and grants. It is my distinct pleasure to congratulate Drs. Richard Vinci and Jeffrey Platt. Dr. Vinci is the recipient of the 2024 Award of Excellence, in recognition of promoting the advancement of excellence in Operative Dentistry through teaching, mentoring, professional leadership, and service to the Academy of Operative Dentistry. Dr. Platt is the recipient of the 2024 Hollenback Prize, in recognition of research that has contributed substantially to the advancement of Restorative Dentistry. Congratulations to both of you! You are an inspiration to all of us.Top of Form

 The annual conference comes together due to a year-long team effort from a dedicated group of Academy officers. I’d like to express great appreciation to the Executive Council members for the time commitment and passion to this Academy. I would like to thank Dr. Chris Griffin for preparing a world-class Scientific Session program and Dr. Tom Cyr for putting together an excellent Table Clinic Session. I’m beyond grateful to Dr. Yana Nedvetsky, our 51st President, for holding my hand and guiding me to accomplish the President-elect and President duties. I also want to thank Dr. Tina Lopez and Tina Cody for the countless hours that they dedicate to serve our Academy. They do tremendous work organizing the annual conference, welcoming our members, and are instrumental in making things run smoothly. I am grateful to the Assistant Secretary Alison Ozaki for the excellent recordkeeping and management of the Executive Council meetings; to the Website Master Eric McRory for constantly updating our website; to Kevin Matis for managing CE records and making improvements to it; to Dr. Tim Hess for being our notorious moderator, to Dr. Paul Hasegawa for keeping our accounting in great shape. Last but not least, I am immensely grateful to Dr. Richard Stevenson. Our Secretary is the heart of this Academy and his dedication is honorable.

I’d be remiss to not honor my dear mentors Dr. Denehy- Chair of Operative Dentistry Department and Dr. Vargas- Director of the Graduate Program in Operative Dentistry at University of Iowa at the time I was a graduate student. They introduced me and the graduate students to this Academy which became an extension of our U of I family. I commend the efforts of Operative Dentistry Graduate Program directors for attending the Annual Conference and introducing the Academy to their residents. I first attended the AOD conference as a first-year resident. I presented a table clinic on CADCAM my second year, and have been attending the Annual Conference since. Subsequently, I became involved with the Executive Board and witnessed first-hand the passion and commitment of the members to our beloved Academy. The Academy became a source of mental stimulation, scientific collaboration, and the commencement of many friendships. It is my true desire that each member feels welcome like I did, gets involved with the Academy like I did, engages with other members like I did, and forms life-long friendships like I did!

I’m looking forward to seeing my dear friends and making new ones! Thank you for your commitment to learning and passion for patient care.

 

Sincerely,

 

Juliana B da Costa, DDS, MS

President- Academy of Operative Dentistry

 

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